Writing about my marathon is so overwhelming and emotional it’s taken me a few days to be able to sit down and reflect enough to write it!
I slept really well the night before the race. Unlike most pre-race sleeps, I slept soundly. No tossing and turning for this girl! I woke up and got ready, putting on a few layers. It seemed quite chilly out but warm weather was promised so I didn’t want to dress too warmly.
T and I drove downtown and he dropped me off at the skytrain station where I met my friend Jared. We met Amber at the next station and we made our way to the start line.
I was feeling really good at this point. We were excited, taking photos and wandering towards our corral. We seeded ourselves just ahead of the 4:30 pace bunny so that we wouldn’t be too stressed out by their strict pace keeping.
I texted T just before we crossed the start line at about 8:20am. The start line was on a hill which was a bit tough in terms of starting with a good pace. After a few minutes though, Amber and I seemed to get a bit more settled and by 6 ish kms, we were chugging along at a great pace and chatting away.
At 9.5kms, we hit the big hill of the race and powered our way up to the top. Amber and I high fived at the top, knowing that we had just completed the biggest hill of the course. We had a bit of a rough time getting settled again back into our pace post-hill and I was getting mighty hot in my long sleeved black pullover. A few km’s later, we took an extra long walk break so I could pin my bib number to my t-shirt and tie my sweater around my waist.
I was feeling really good at this point. My hip (which had been bothering me for a week before) was a bit sore, but nothing that serious. Amber and I were chatting about life and I was hot, but happy.
We hit the halfway mark after a long downhill and felt great. We were right on track with our 4:30 goal with a 21km split of 2:14
At this point, it was starting to get really warm. We were running on the road with very little shade and we were hitting a fair number of big rollers.
We started counting down our 10 and 1′s, telling each other that we only had 4 more minutes before we could walk (we can do anything for 4 minutes!) and cheering loudly at the groups of silent spectators. We started reminding ourselves on a regular basis that we were running a marathon!
My stomach started feeling really off at around 26kms. I think, in hindsight, that it was partly the heat and partly the gatorade. I had only tested the gatorade on one long run, but in combination with all of the other gels/chews I had going on, I felt seriously ill.
My best friend was cheering at 29km, right before the Burrard St bridge. I was so thrilled to give her my sweater that had been tied around my waist since 11km. While taking off the sweater helped a bit with the nausea (not as much pressure on my stomach!) I was feeling pretty gross at this point. I kept telling Amber that I felt like I was going to throw up.
We headed up the Burrard St bridge, high fiving again and screaming like crazy ladies on the down side that we had survived the bridge (and oh ya, we’re running a marathon! Holy crap!)
Shortly after, we made it to Eric, Amber’s fiance. He took my running belt from me and I was so grateful to have it off that I think I told him I loved him for taking it! Unfortunately I was feeling worse and worse. After a walk break, I was still feeling extremely nauseous and I was starting to see black spots and get quite dizzy. I decided, sadly, to let Amber continue on without me.
I felt sorry for myself for a little bit and then tried to power walk to the next aid station to get several cups of water. I thought of Amber’s voice in my head telling me to drink the water even if it made me feel like puking. After walking for 6 minutes, I decided I’d run to a bench up ahead and then walk again. Running again made me immediately want to puke, but I ran to the bench and then decided I’d do a run 2 minutes walk 2 minutes routine for a bit. At the next aid station I grabbed more water and a gel and started to feel a bit better. I started running for 4 minutes and then walking for 2.
I was starting to feel better mentally and physically and decided to try running for 8 minutes. I started doing 8 and 2. At this point, my goal of 4:30 was long gone, but at the time I was really ok with it. As I rounded the corner to the last hill to the finish, I fought back tears.
I was so exhausted, so sore, so proud and so thrilled to be nearing the end. I saw my family cheering for me and I wiped my tears away, smiled and waved at them.
I rounded the corner, ran through the finish line and completed my first marathon at 4:47:02
I was sort of wandering around a bit lost, trying to find a place to get my medal and Amber came up and gave me the biggest hug. We totally ran a marathon! 
I think my first words to her were “That was HARD!”
We shuffled through the food line and couldn’t open that bag of chips fast enough. My family met me after I said goodbye to Amber and I gratefully sat down on the curb and did not want to move.
This marathon was such an experience. I swore up and down while training and for the first 24 hours after the race that I would never run another marathon. Then, I spent the next 24 hours reliving those last 8 or so kilometres, wondering if I could have pushed myself to stick with Amber for longer or if I had started running 8 and 2 sooner etc. It’s so hard to go back and re-live those moments! I know that I did everything I could in that moment, but I also know that Amber and I definitely can get that 4:30 goal. So who knows. Maybe another marathon is in my future?
Maybe I should wait til this lovely blister heals…
Gross!
Final Stats:
Chip time: 4:47:02
Pace: 6:49/km
Place: 231/321 in F 25-29
1260/1838 Females
First 21.1km: 2:14:29
21.1km-42.2km: 2:32:34
Watch Stats:
xox,
b
